Foreign Body Injury
When an object enters or lodges in the body
Quick Facts
- Type: Injury from an outside object
- Common sites: Eye, skin, ear, nose, airway, throat
- Common in: Children and people working with tools
- Emergency: Choking or object in the airway
Overview
A foreign body injury occurs when an object that does not belong in the body enters or becomes lodged in it. This can happen in many locations, including the eye, the skin (such as a splinter or piece of glass), the ear, the nose, the airway, or the digestive tract. The injury ranges from a minor irritation to a true emergency, depending on what the object is and where it ends up.
Children commonly place small objects in the nose or ears, while adults more often get foreign bodies in the eye or skin while working, cooking, or doing chores. The most dangerous situation is an object in the airway, which can block breathing and is a medical emergency. Most other foreign body injuries can be treated successfully, especially when handled correctly and promptly.
Symptoms
Symptoms depend on where the object is lodged.
- Eye: Pain, redness, watering, a gritty feeling, light sensitivity, and blurred vision
- Skin: Pain, a visible object or entry point, redness, and swelling
- Ear: Pain, reduced hearing, a feeling of fullness, or discharge
- Nose: One-sided blockage, discharge, or a foul smell, often in children
- Throat or digestive tract: Pain on swallowing, drooling, or a feeling that something is stuck
- Airway: Sudden coughing, choking, wheezing, or difficulty breathing
An object blocking the airway, with choking or trouble breathing, is an emergency.
Causes
Foreign body injuries happen in everyday situations and at work.
- Eyes: Dust, metal shavings, wood, sand, or grit, especially during grinding, hammering, or yard work
- Skin: Splinters, thorns, glass, or metal fragments
- Ears and nose: Small objects, beads, or food placed by young children; insects in the ear
- Airway and throat: Food, especially in young children and older adults, and small items that are inhaled or swallowed
Risk Factors
- Young children, who explore by placing objects in the mouth, nose, and ears
- Work with grinding, cutting, hammering, or power tools without eye protection
- Eating quickly, talking while eating, or swallowing problems (for airway and throat objects)
- Older adults with difficulty swallowing
- Activities involving glass, wood, or metal fragments
Diagnosis
Diagnosis depends on the location and may include:
- Examination: Direct inspection of the eye, skin, ear, or nose, sometimes with magnification or special lighting.
- Eye evaluation: A clinician may use a dye and light to find a corneal foreign body or scratch.
- Imaging: X-rays, CT, or ultrasound can locate objects that are deep or not visible, and check for objects in the airway or digestive tract.
- History: Knowing what the object is, especially high-risk items like button batteries or magnets, guides urgency.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the object and its location. For an object in the eye, do not rub it. Blink, and try rinsing gently with clean water or saline; if it does not come out or vision is affected, seek care and avoid pressing on the eye.
- Skin splinters: Small, shallow splinters can often be removed at home with clean tweezers; deep, large, or dirty objects need medical care, and tetanus protection should be up to date.
- Eye, ear, and nose objects: Are usually removed by a clinician with proper tools; avoid digging at them, which can push the object deeper or cause injury.
- Swallowed objects: Many pass on their own, but certain items, especially button batteries and magnets, need urgent removal.
- Airway objects: A choking emergency; trained rescuers give back blows and abdominal thrusts while emergency services are called.
Wounds are cleaned and monitored for infection, and any retained object is removed.
Prevention
- Wear safety glasses when grinding, hammering, cutting, or using power tools
- Keep small objects, button batteries, and magnets away from young children
- Cut food into small pieces for children and eat without rushing
- Wear gloves and use care when handling glass, wood, or sharp materials
- Supervise young children during play and meals
When to See a Doctor
Call emergency services immediately if someone is choking, cannot breathe, speak, or cough, or has an object stuck in the airway. Seek urgent care for any object in the eye that will not rinse out or that affects vision, a swallowed button battery or magnet, and deep or dirty wounds. See a doctor for a splinter or object that cannot be fully removed, or for any wound that becomes red, swollen, painful, or starts to drain, which can signal infection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I get something in my eye?
Do not rub the eye. Blink several times and try rinsing gently with clean water or saline. If the object will not come out, you still feel something, or your vision is affected, seek medical care and avoid pressing on the eye.
When is a foreign body an emergency?
An object blocking the airway, with choking or trouble breathing, is a life-threatening emergency, call for help immediately. Swallowed button batteries and magnets are also urgent because they can cause serious internal injury quickly.
Can I remove a splinter myself?
Small, shallow splinters can often be removed at home with clean tweezers, followed by washing the area. Seek medical care for deep, large, or dirty objects, splinters you cannot fully remove, or if your tetanus protection is not up to date.
Are swallowed objects dangerous?
Many small swallowed objects pass through on their own without harm. However, button batteries, magnets, and sharp or large items can cause serious injury and need prompt medical evaluation and often urgent removal.
References
- Mayo Clinic. Foreign object in the eye - First aid.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Foreign body.
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Foreign Objects.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Foreign Object in the Eye.